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http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.co...ded-prosecution-for-super-bowl-jersey-thefts/
Has Ortega avoided prosecution for Super Bowl jersey theft(s)?
Posted by Mike Florio on March 22, 2017
The fascinating, multi-layered, multinational case of the Tom Brady jersey thievery raises plenty of questions. Here’s one that has been largely glossed over: Will Martin Mauricio Ortega face criminal responsibility for his crimes?
Apparently, he won’t.
Consider this passage from the Associated Press: “A Mexican government official confirmed that the warrant targeted Ortega and the search was at his home. Speaking on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the case, the official said an agreement was reached for an unspecified victim in the U.S. not to press charges in exchange for the jersey’s return.”
The “unspecified victim” presumably is Tom Brady. How about Von Miller, whose helmet from Super Bowl 50 reportedly was stolen by Ortega? And what if other players who had other gear stolen from them decide they want to see Ortega in the hoosegow?
On one hand, the criminal justice system routinely defers to the wishes of the victim. On the other hand, if the only deterrence to theft is having to give back whatever was stolen (and the embarrassment that comes from being caught), not many aspiring thieves would say, “I’d better not do that.”
If it turns out that Ortega had stolen a lot more stuff while having media access to the Super Bowl, should it all just quietly go away?
The league may want it to. The longer this hangs around, the more likely someone will eventually start asking questions about how a “reporter” who was generating no reports during Super Bowl week was consistently getting approved to rub shoulders (and pick pockets) in NFL locker rooms.
Has Ortega avoided prosecution for Super Bowl jersey theft(s)?
Posted by Mike Florio on March 22, 2017
The fascinating, multi-layered, multinational case of the Tom Brady jersey thievery raises plenty of questions. Here’s one that has been largely glossed over: Will Martin Mauricio Ortega face criminal responsibility for his crimes?
Apparently, he won’t.
Consider this passage from the Associated Press: “A Mexican government official confirmed that the warrant targeted Ortega and the search was at his home. Speaking on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the case, the official said an agreement was reached for an unspecified victim in the U.S. not to press charges in exchange for the jersey’s return.”
The “unspecified victim” presumably is Tom Brady. How about Von Miller, whose helmet from Super Bowl 50 reportedly was stolen by Ortega? And what if other players who had other gear stolen from them decide they want to see Ortega in the hoosegow?
On one hand, the criminal justice system routinely defers to the wishes of the victim. On the other hand, if the only deterrence to theft is having to give back whatever was stolen (and the embarrassment that comes from being caught), not many aspiring thieves would say, “I’d better not do that.”
If it turns out that Ortega had stolen a lot more stuff while having media access to the Super Bowl, should it all just quietly go away?
The league may want it to. The longer this hangs around, the more likely someone will eventually start asking questions about how a “reporter” who was generating no reports during Super Bowl week was consistently getting approved to rub shoulders (and pick pockets) in NFL locker rooms.
